Worcester police get heroin antidote earlier than expected

WORCESTER — Police officers Friday afternoon were equipped with the anti-overdose drug Narcan, a spokesman for the city said.

"It should be in cruisers for the start of the 3 p.m. shift," said John Hill. "All the officers have already been trained."

Nine people have died from drug overdoses in the city since Aug. 1, with the possibility of a tenth. Officials Wednesday issued a public health advisory warning that contaminated heroin may be the culprit, and police have been working for days to root out the source.

At a press conference Wednesday, Police Chief Gary J. Gemme said it would be two weeks before the city could get supplies of naloxone — more commonly known as Narcan — from the state's Department of Public Health.

Mr. Hill said Friday that the state was able to get Worcester some of the drug earlier.

"With the health advisory going out and the rash of deaths, they recognized the need to expedite things and are being very supportive," he said.

It was not immediately clear how much Narcan the police department was given. The drug, which is administered via a nasal spray, is increasingly being used by police departments since officers are often the first emergency responders to arrive to a call for help.

Contact Brad Petrishen at brad.petrishen@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @BPetrishenTG.